Capacitor

ABSTRACT

A vertical capacitor includes a stack of layers conformally covering walls of a first material. The walls extend from a substrate made of a second material different from the first material.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure generally concerns electronic components, andmore particularly capacitors.

Description of the Related Art

Capacitors are components which are present in electronic circuits.Capacitors are electronic components, generally comprising twoelectrodes separated by an insulating layer.

In the context of the miniaturization of electronic components, it iscurrently desired to increase the capacitance obtained for a givensubstrate surface area.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a vertical capacitorcomprising a stack of layers conformally covering at least walls of afirst material, the walls extending from a substrate made of a secondmaterial different from the first one.

According to an embodiment, the stack of layers further extends over thesubstrate between the walls.

According to an embodiment, the first material is silicon oxide.

According to an embodiment, the stack comprises an alternation ofinsulating layers and of conductive layers, the lower and upper layersof the stack being conductive layers.

According to an embodiment, each wall forms, in top view, the contour ofa geometric shape.

According to an embodiment, the stack extends inside and outside of thecontours of the geometric shapes.

According to an embodiment, the substrate within the contour is coveredwith a layer made of the first material.

According to an embodiment, the stack extends over two opposite sides ofat least a portion of the walls.

According to an embodiment, the smallest dimension of each wall issmaller than 150 nm.

According to an embodiment, the second material is a material capable ofbeing oxidized.

Another embodiment provides a method of manufacturing a capacitorcomprising a step of forming walls, a stack of layers extending overlateral walls and an upper surface of the walls and between the walls,the walls being made of a first material, the walls extending from asubstrate made of a second material, the first and second materialsbeing different.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises a step of formingcavities in the substrate.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises a step of forming wallswherein an insulating layer is formed on the sidewalls and the bottomsof each cavity.

According to an embodiment, the insulating layers are formed byoxidation on the substrate.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises a step of etching thesubstrate portions located between the cavities.

The foregoing and other features and advantages will be discussed indetail in the following non-limiting description of specific embodimentsin connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B schematically and partially shows two capacitorsaccording to embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 2A-2C show, in top views, examples of portions of the structuresof FIGS. 1A and 1B;

FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically and partially show two structuresresulting from steps of an embodiment of a capacitor manufacturingmethod according to the present disclosure;

FIGS. 4A and 4B partially and schematically show two structuresresulting from other steps of an embodiment of a capacitor manufacturingmethod;

FIG. 5 schematically and partially shows a structure resulting from astep of an embodiment of a capacitor manufacturing method; and

FIG. 6 schematically and partially shows another example of a capacitorobtained by the implementation of the methods of FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A, 4Band 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The same elements have been designated with the same reference numeralsin the different drawings. In particular, the structural and/orfunctional elements common to the different embodiments may bedesignated with the same reference numerals and may have identicalstructural, dimensional, and material properties.

For clarity, only those steps and elements which are useful to theunderstanding of the described embodiments have been shown and aredetailed.

Throughout the present disclosure, the term “connected” is used todesignate a direct electrical connection between circuit elements withno intermediate elements other than conductors, whereas the term“coupled” is used to designate an electrical connection between circuitelements that may be direct, or may be via one or more intermediateelements. Unless indicated otherwise, when the term “coupled” is used,the connection can be implemented by a direct connection.

In the following description, when reference is made to terms qualifyingabsolute positions, such as terms “front”, “back”, “top”, “bottom”,“left”, “right”, etc., or relative positions, such as terms “above”,“under”, “upper”, “lower”, etc., or to terms qualifying directions, suchas terms “horizontal”, “vertical”, etc., unless otherwise specified, itis referred to the orientation of the drawings.

The terms “approximately”, “substantially”, and “in the order of” areused herein to designate a tolerance of plus or minus 10%, preferably ofplus or minus 5%, of the value in question.

FIGS. 1A and 1B comprise two cross-sectional views schematically andpartially showing two embodiments of a capacitor 100 a or 100 b, forexample, located in a cavity 102 of a substrate 104.

Capacitors 100 a and 100 b are vertical capacitors, that is, capacitorscomprising a stack of layers at least partially extending in asubstantially vertical direction. Substantially vertical direction meansa direction forming an angle of less than 45° with the verticaldirection.

FIG. 1A illustrates a capacitor 100 a. Walls 106 are located in cavity102 and extend from the bottom of cavity 102. Walls 106 for examplereach the opening of cavity 102. Walls 106 form the contour of geometricshapes, examples of which will be described in relation with FIGS.2A-2C. The contours formed by the walls are preferably closed contours.The regions of the bottom of cavity 102 located within the contours ofeach wall 106 are preferably covered with a portion 110 of the materialof wall 106. Thus, each wall 106 and the corresponding portion 110 forma compartment 111 comprising a bottom and lateral walls.

Regions 113 of substrate 104 located between compartments 111 arepreferably not covered with an insulating layer.

A portion of certain walls 106 may be in contact with the walls ofcavity 102. Further, a stack of layers 108, for example, made of aninsulating material, for example, of the same material as walls 106, arelocated on the upper surface of substrate 104 around cavity 102.

Walls 106 preferably have a thickness smaller than 150 nm, for example,smaller than 100 nm, for example, smaller than 50 nm. Preferably, theupper surface of each portion 110 is coplanar with the bottom of cavity102 outside of the contours formed by walls 106.

The stack of layers 108, which may be referred to as stack 108 in thefollowing description, forming capacitor 100 a, is deposited on top ofand between walls 106. More specifically, stack 108 comprises layersextending continuously in compartments 111, covering the sides of walls106 and portions 110, and between compartments 111, covering the uppersurfaces and the outer sides of walls 106 and the portions of substrate104 located between compartments 111.

Stack 108, forming capacitor 100 a, comprises an insulating layer 114(hatched in FIG. 1) between two conductive layers 116 and 118 formingelectrodes. Conductive layer 116 is the lower layer of stack 108 andconformally extends on top of and between walls 106. Insulating layer114 conformally extends on layer 116. Layer 118 is laid on insulatinglayer 116. The upper surface of layer 118 is preferably substantiallyplanar and located above cavity 102.

The stack may further extend out of cavity 102. More specifically, thestack may extend over at least a portion of layers 112, out of cavity102. Contacts with conductive layers 116 and 118, not shown, are forexample located outside of cavity 102.

FIG. 1B illustrates a capacitor 100 b, comprising a plurality ofcapacitors connected in parallel. FIG. 1B is similar to FIG. 1A exceptfor the stack of layers 108, which is replaced with a stack of layers120. Stack 120 comprises an alternation of conductive layers 122 and ofinsulating layers 124 (hatched in FIG. 1). Stack 120 shown in FIG. 1Bcomprises three conductive layers 122 and two insulating layers 124.Stack 120 may however comprise any number of insulating layers 124, eachlocated between two conductive layers 122. The lower layer of stack 120,that is, the layer in contact with walls 106 and substrate 104 betweencompartments 111, is a conductive layer 122. The upper layer of stack120 is a conductive layer 122. The upper surface of the upper layer ofstack 120 is preferably substantially planar.

Contacts with each of conductive layers 122, not shown, are for examplelocated outside of cavity 102.

FIGS. 2A-2 c show, in top views, examples of portions of the embodimentsof FIGS. 1A and 1B. More particularly, FIGS. 2A-2 c show, in top views,three examples of structures on which capacitors 100 a and 100 b may beformed. Thus, the views of structures FIG. 2A-2C correspond to views ofcavity 102 without stacks 108 or 120.

The contour, preferably closed, formed by each wall 106 may besubstantially that of any shape, for example, of a circle (FIG. 2A), ofa rectangle (FIG. 2B, of a tripod (FIG. 2C), of an oval, etc.

FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically and partially show two structuresresulting from steps of an embodiment of a capacitor manufacturingmethod according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A results from a step of forming a layer 200, for example, made ofan insulating material, for example, of silicon oxide, on substrate 104.Substrate 104 is preferably made of a material which can be oxidized,for example, of silicon.

Layer 200 comprises an opening at the location where cavity 102 isdesired to be formed, that is, at the location of the capacitor which isdesired to be formed.

A layer 202 is then formed on layer 200 and on substrate 104 in theopening of layer 200. In particular, layer 202 covers the sidewalls oflayer 200, that is, the walls of the opening. Layer 202 is covered witha layer 204. Layer 204 is preferably made of an insulating material,preferably of the same material as layer 200, for example, of siliconoxide. Layer 202 is made of a material which can be selectively etchedover the material of layer 204 and which cannot be oxidized, forexample, silicon nitride. Openings are then formed in layers 202 and 204at the locations of the compartments formed by walls 106. Moreparticularly, openings 206 in layer 202 have the shape of the geometricshapes having their contour defined by walls 106.

Preferably, the openings in layers 202 and 204 are formed to keepportions of layer 202 on the sidewalls of layer 200. Thus, layer 200 isfully protected by layer 202.

FIG. 3B results from an etch step during which the substrate is etchedthrough openings 206 to form cavities 208.

The openings of cavities for example have critical dimensions in therange from approximately 0.5 μm to approximately 1 μm and a depth in therange from 35 to 45 μm.

FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically and partially show two structuresresulting from other steps of an embodiment of a capacitor manufacturingmethod.

FIG. 4A results from a step during which layer 204 is removed and duringwhich an insulating layer 300 is formed on the sidewalls and the bottomof each cavity 208. Layers 300 are for example formed by oxidizing thematerial of substrate 104 at the level of the sidewalls and of thebottom of cavities 208. Each layer 300 comprises a first portion locatedon the bottom of the cavity, and second portions extending on thesidewalls of the cavity, between the bottom of the cavity and itsopening. The second portions will form walls 106 and the first portionsform portions 110.

The thickness of layer 300, and thus of walls 106, is preferably smallerthan 150 nm, for example, smaller than 100 nm, for example, smaller than50 nm.

FIG. 4B is obtained after a step of removing layer 202 and a step ofetching substrate 104 located between the second portions of layers 300.The etching of the substrate is for example maintained until the samelevel as the upper surface of the bottom of cavities 208 is reached.

The method of etching substrate 104 is selected to avoid etching thematerial of layers 300 and 200. Layers 200 thus enable protection of theportions of substrate 104 which are not desired to be etched.

FIG. 5 schematically and partially shows a structure resulting fromanother step of a capacitor manufacturing method according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

During this step, the stack of layers 108 or 120 forming the capacitoris formed. The stack shown in FIG. 5 is stack 108, comprising aninsulating layer 114 between two conductive layers 116 and 118.

The contacts with the different conductive layers are then formed. Theseare for example insulated vias 500 and 502, comprising a conductive coresurrounded with an insulating sheath. Insulated via 502 allows theelectric connection with conductive layer 118. Insulated via 500 crossesconductive layer 118 and insulating layer 114 and allows the electricconnection with conductive layer 116.

An advantage of the described embodiments is that they enable increasingthe capacitance of a capacitor on a given substrate surface area.

Capacitors could have been formed by etching cavities into the substrateand by forming the stack of layers forming the capacitor in the cavitiesand on the substrate portions (non-etched) located between the cavities,such substrate portions then having a use similar to that of walls 106.However, current etch methods, for example, photolithography methods, donot enable forming deep and narrow cavities, that is for example havinga depth higher than 20 μm, for example equal to 40 μm, and having forexample horizontal dimensions lower than 1 μm, separated by thinsubstrate portions having, for example, a thickness smaller than 1 μm.

The capacitance of a capacitor comprising an insulating layer betweentwo conductive layers is defined by the following equation:

$C = \frac{\epsilon_{r}\varepsilon_{0}A}{d}$

where d is the thickness of the insulating layer, A is the area of theinterface between the insulating layer and one of the conductive layers,ε₀ is the permittivity of vacuum and ε_(r) is the relative permittivityof the material of the insulating layer.

Thus, the decrease of the wall thickness enables increasing area A for agiven substrate surface area and thus the capacitance of the capacitor.

It is possible to modify different criteria to obtain capacitors adaptedto the various possible applications. It is thus for example possible tomodify:

-   -   the depth of cavities 102, and thus of cavities 208;    -   the number of layers in stack 108 or 120, and thus the number of        capacitors in parallel;    -   the number of cavities 208; and    -   the dimensions of the openings of cavities 208.

For example, for a given substrate surface area, it is possible todecrease the capacitor depth while keeping substantially the samecapacitance value as in the case where the cavities are separated bywalls formed from substrate 104.

FIG. 6 schematically and partially shows another example of a capacitorobtained by the implementation of the methods of FIGS. 3 to 5.

In this embodiment, the sides of each wall 106 are inclined with respectto the vertical direction, by an angle smaller than 45°, for example, sothat the distance between the sides close to portion 110 is smaller thanthe distance between the upper surfaces of the sides of the wall.

The inclined shape of the walls may for example be obtained incidentallyduring the manufacturing method. More particularly, such a shape may bethe result of the step of etching cavities 208 where the walls of theobtained cavity 208 are not straight.

In a structure where the cavities are separated by substrate regions,such an inclined wall shape would cause a decrease in surface area A ofthe capacitor and thus a decrease in the capacitance as compared withthe capacitance which would have been obtained if the walls were notinclined.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the surface area decrease caused by theshape of cavities 208 is substantially compensated for by the regionsbetween cavities 208. Such regions have a shape complementary to theshape of cavities 208. Thus the decrease in surface area A in cavities208 is substantially compensated for by the increase of surface area Abetween cavities 208.

Various embodiments and variations have been described. It should beclear to those skilled in the art that certain characteristics of thesevarious embodiments and variations may be combined, and other variationswill occur to those skilled in the art.

Finally, the practical implementation of the described embodiments andvariations is within the abilities of those skilled in the art based onthe functional indications given hereabove.

The various embodiments described above can be combined to providefurther embodiments. These and other changes can be made to theembodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, inthe following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limitthe claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specificationand the claims, but should be construed to include all possibleembodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which suchclaims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by thedisclosure.

1. A device, comprising: a substrate; a first insulating layer having afirst sidewall adjacent to the substrate and a second sidewall; a secondinsulating layer having a first sidewall spaced from the second sidewallof the first insulating layer, and a second sidewall spaced from thefirst sidewall of the second insulating layer; a first conductive layeron the first and second sidewalls of the first insulating layer and onthe first and second sidewalls of the second insulating layer; and athird insulating layer on the first conductive layer.
 2. The device ofclaim 1, further comprising a first cavity defined by the firstinsulating layer and a second cavity defined by the second insulatinglayer.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein the first conductive layer is inthe first cavity and in the second cavity.
 4. The device of claim 3wherein the third insulating layer is in the first cavity and in thesecond cavity.
 5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a secondconductive layer on the third insulating layer and in the first andsecond cavities.
 6. A method, comprising: forming a plurality ofcavities in a substrate; forming a first insulating layer on a bottomand sidewalls of each of the plurality of cavities; removing portions ofthe substrate between portions of the first insulating layer in each ofthe plurality of cavities; and forming a first conductive layer in eachof the plurality of cavities and in areas where the portions of thesubstrate were removed.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein forming theplurality of cavities includes forming a pattern on the substrate with asecond insulating layer.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprisingremoving the second insulating layer before removing portions of thesubstrate.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising forming a secondinsulating layer in each of the cavities and in the areas.
 10. Themethod of claim 9, further comprising forming a second conductive layeron the second insulating layer.
 11. A device, comprising: a substrate; afirst insulating layer having a bottom and sidewalls, the firstinsulating layer being adjacent to a first side of the substrate; asecond insulating layer having a bottom and sidewalls, the secondinsulating layer being adjacent to a second side of the substrate thatis opposite from the first side of the substrate; a first openingbetween the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer; afirst conductive layer on the sidewalls and bottom of the firstinsulating layer, on the sidewalls and bottom of the second insulatinglayer, and in the first opening.
 12. The device of claim 11 wherein thefirst conductive layer is on the first side and the second side ofsubstrate.
 13. The device of claim 11 wherein the first opening hassidewalls and a bottom and the first conductive layer is on thesidewalls and the bottom of the first opening.
 14. The device of claim13, further comprising a third insulating layer having a bottom andsidewalls, the third insulating layer being between the first and secondinsulating layers.
 15. The device of claim 14, further comprising asecond conductive layer that extends into the first, second, and thirdinsulating layers.
 16. The device of claim 14, further comprising afourth insulating layer on the first conductive layer.
 17. The device ofclaim 16, further comprising a second conductive layer that is on thefourth insulating layer and extends between the sidewalls of the firstinsulating layer, between the sidewalls of the second insulating layer,and between the sidewalls of the third insulating layer.